JPS62253562A - Controller for steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the steering performance by installing the operating switches for the tilt mechanism and the telesco mechanism of a steering wheel at a part of the steering wheel. CONSTITUTION:A steering wheel 5 is constituted of a pad 6 and an annular ring 8 connected through a spoke 7 onto the outer periphery of the pad 6. The steering wheel 5 has the planetary gear mechanism of a pad turn suppressing mechanism inside. An operating switch 9 for a tilt mechanism and the operating switches 10a and 10b for telesco mechanism are installed onto the pad 6.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Purpose of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a steering wheel attached to a vehicle such as an automobile, and more specifically, to a steering wheel for controlling a tilt mechanism or a telescopic mechanism that moves the steering wheel itself. The present invention relates to an activation switch or an activation sensor.

(Problems to be Solved by the Prior Art and the Invention) Steering wheels attached to vehicles such as cars, buses, and trucks have a tilt mechanism that allows the steering wheel itself to tilt up and down, Some steering wheels are equipped with a telescoping mechanism that allows the steering wheel to move forward and backward in a column that supports the steering wheel.

In recent years, there has been a trend toward electrification of both mechanisms, and their activation switches are provided on the column or console.

However, when the actuation switch is installed on the console or column, even if you want to move the steering wheel, you have to press the actuation switch located further away from the steering wheel, which reduces operability. Unfortunately, there was a problem in that it was not possible to adjust the driving position.

Structure of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a steering wheel equipped with a tilt mechanism that controls the steering wheel itself so that it can tilt freely, and a telescoping mechanism that controls the steering wheel itself so that it can move forward and backward. In this control device, at least one of the actuation switches and actuation sensors of both models is provided in a part of the steering wheel.

(Function) When the driver touches an actuation switch or an actuation sensor provided on the steering wheel, the tilt mechanism or telescoping mechanism is actuated, and the steering wheel is controlled to be tiltable or move forward and backward.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example in which the present invention is embodied in a car will be described.
4, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a column 2 is attached to an instrument panel 1 of an automobile, and a steering wheel 5 is attached to the front end of the column 2 via an intermediate member 4. It is rotatably mounted.

The column 2 incorporates an electric tilt mechanism that allows the steering wheel 5 to tilt vertically about the shaft 3 as a fulcrum. Further, the intermediate member 4 has a member that slides in the front and back direction with respect to the column 2.
An electric telescopic mechanism is incorporated which allows the steering wheel 5 to move forward and backward from the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 3 to the position shown by the two-dot chain line.

The steering wheel 5 is composed of a pad 6 having a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole and an annular ring 8 connected to the outer periphery of the pad 6 through spokes 7.

Further, the steering wheel 5 has a built-in idling gear mechanism, which is a pad portion non-rotation mechanism, in which the pad 6 always remains stationary regardless of the rotation of the ring 8.

The pad 6 has a switch 9 for operating the tilt mechanism and the telescopic mechanism. Of the reactivation switches 9, 10a, and 10b, the telescopic mechanism activation switches 10a and 10b will be described below.

A lower switch 10a of the operating switches IOa and IQb is provided on both sides of the upper surface of the pad 6 facing the driver's seat, and a lower switch 10a is provided on both sides of the lower surface of the pad 6 facing the instrument panel 1 side. 10b is provided.

Both the lower and upper switches 10a and 10b are formed of membrane switches, and the switch 10a
, 10b, the switches 10a, 10b whose contacts point in the direction in which the steering wheel 5 is desired to be moved are pressed, thereby causing the steering wheel 6 to slide forward and backward.

Next, a control circuit for this telescopic mechanism will be explained.

As shown in FIG.
3 is input, and the signal from the AND circuit 11 is output to the telescopic motor lift circuit 14. The telescopic motor raising circuit 14 is connected to an actuating motor 15, and the motor 15 rotates in the forward direction to raise the steering wheel 5 based on instructions from the circuit 14.

Signals from the down switch 10a and a stop signal detection circuit 13 including the vehicle speed sensor 12 are input to the AND circuit 21, and the signal from the AND circuit 21 is connected to the telescopic motor down circuit 22. The telescopic motor lowering circuit 22 is input to the operating motor 15,
The motor 15 is configured to reversely rotate the steering wheel 5 to lower it based on instructions from the circuit 22.

Next, the functions and effects of this embodiment configured as described above will be described.

First, when the steering wheel 5 is to be raised rearward (movement from the solid line to the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 3), the double-action lift switch 10b provided on the lower surface of the pad 6 is turned on. At this time, when the vehicle speed sensor 12 detects that the vehicle is in a stopped state, the stop signal detection circuit 13 is turned on, and the AND
The circuit 11 is turned on. When the AND circuit 11 is turned on, the telescopic motor raising circuit 13 is turned on, and based on the instruction thereof, the telescopic motor 15 rotates forward, and the steering wheel 5 is raised.

Next, when the steering wheel 5 is to be lowered (from the two-dot chain line to the solid line in FIG. 3), the double-action lowering switch 10a provided on the top surface of the pad 6 is turned on. At this time, when the vehicle speed sensor 12 similarly detects that the vehicle is in a stopped state, the stop signal detection circuit 13 is turned on, and the A
The ND circuit 21 is turned on. When the AND circuit 21 is turned on, the telescopic motor lowering circuit 22 is turned on, and based on the instruction, the telescopic motor 15 rotates in the reverse direction to lower the steering wheel 5.

Further, when the vehicle speed sensor 12 detects that the vehicle is in a running state, the stop signal detection circuit is turned off, so that the telescopic operation is not performed.

Therefore, the telescopic operation switch 1 provided on the pad 6
Since the up switch tab of 0a and 10b is provided on the bottom surface of the pad 6, and the down switch 10a is provided on the top surface of the pad 6, it is possible to match the moving direction of the steering wheel 5 with the pressing direction of each switch 10a and 10b. It can provide very good operability.

In addition, since the steering wheel 5 is non-rotatable, even if the steering wheel 5 is stopped with the steering wheel 5 turned, the pad 6 will not face diagonally.
The operability of the switches 9, 10a and 10b will not deteriorate.

In addition, since each of the operating switches 10a and 10b is located close to the driver's hand, telescopic operation can be performed without having to reach for the column 2 or the console as in the past, greatly improving operability. can.

Further, since each of the actuation switches 10a and 10b is of a double action type, it is possible to reliably prevent malfunctions such as inadvertent pressing of the switches.

Further, since the vehicle speed sensor 12 is provided so that the telescopic mechanism operates only when the vehicle is stopped, it is possible to reliably prevent the steering wheel 5 from being telescopically operated while the vehicle is running.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified and embodied as shown below, for example.

(1) In each of the embodiments described above, a membrane type actuation switch 6 was used as the switch mechanism, but in addition to this switch, a normal three-dimensional switch may also be used.

(2) Although the switches 9a and 9b are of the double action type in this embodiment, they may be of the normal single action type.

(3) In each of the embodiments described above, both the operating switches 10a and 10b of the telescopic mechanism and the operating switch 9 of the tilt mechanism are provided on the pad 6, but only one of them may be provided.

(4) In this embodiment, a switch provided on the pad 6 is used as the operating mechanism of the telescopic mechanism, but the switch is not limited to this, and the following sensors may also be used.

That is, a strain gauge may be provided on the ring 8 or the spokes 7 to detect the strain and determine whether the ring 8 or the spokes 7 are sliding forward or backward.

Further, a voltage element or a Hall element may be used in addition to the strain gauge.

(5) In the present embodiment, the steering wheel 5 has a non-rotating pad portion, but the steering wheel 5 may have a rotatable pad portion in which a normal pad 6 rotates.

Effects of the Invention As detailed above, according to the present invention, at least one of the operation switch or the operation sensor of the tilt mechanism that controls the steering wheel so that it can freely tilt and the telescoping mechanism that controls the steering wheel so that it can freely move forward or backward. Since it is provided in a part of the steering wheel, it has the excellent effect of improving operability for the driver and allowing adjustments to be made in the driving position.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 4 show embodiments of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a front view showing a steering wheel embodying the invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the driver's seat, and FIG. 3 is a steering wheel. FIG. 4, a partial side view showing the tilting operation of the wheel, is an operating circuit diagram of this embodiment. Steering wheel...5 Operating switch = 9.10a, 10b Pad...6

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A steering wheel control device including a tilt mechanism that controls the steering wheel itself so that it can tilt freely, and a telescopic mechanism that controls the steering wheel itself so that it can move forward and backward, comprising: an operation switch or an operation sensor (9, 10a
, 10b) or the operating sensor (9, 10a, 10b) on the steering wheel (
5) A steering wheel control device, characterized in that it is provided in a part of the steering wheel control device. 2. The activation switch or activation sensor (9, 10a, 1
0b) is the pad (6) of the steering wheel (5).
) The steering wheel control device according to claim 1, wherein the steering wheel control device is provided in a steering wheel.